


Morning After

by betsib



Category: The Heroes of Olympus - Rick Riordan
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-16
Updated: 2014-08-16
Packaged: 2018-02-13 09:40:09
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,094
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2145963
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/betsib/pseuds/betsib
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Nico wakes up with a naked Jason beside him and one hell of a hangover.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Morning After

**Author's Note:**

> Just a quick one-shot, originally posted on Tumblr.

Nico felt strange when he woke up. His head was aching, his eyelids heavy and he had an unfamiliar taste in his mouth. Also, there was something warm and alive beside him. Nico forced his eyes open, then blinked a couple of times, unable to process what he was seeing.

Jason Grace lay beside him, with an arm flung over him. He didn’t seem to be wearing any clothes. The moment Nico realized he was equally naked he panicked and rushed out of bed. Standing up that fast proved to be a terrible idea.

Luckily Nico was pretty familiar with Jason’s apartment, or he would never have made it to the toilet bowl in time. He was doing his best to puke his guts out while simultaneously trying not to have it end up in his hair. A couple of warm hands suddenly appeared from nowhere, fixing the second problem and leaving Nico’s hands free to clasp at the edge of the toilet bowl.

After what seemed like an eternity Nico’s stomach finally calmed down somewhat. He felt weak, shaky and there seemed to be a little guy with a pickaxe living in his head. Also he was kinda cold. The realization that he was sitting naked on the bathroom floor while someone else held his hair back suddenly dawned on him.

“Feeling better?” Jason’s voice said just beside his ear. Nico didn’t dare turn around. He just nodded weakly as an answer.

“Good,” Jason said, letting go of Nico’s hair and standing up to fill a plastic mug with water. “Here. It’ll help.”

Nico accepted the mug without meeting his eyes, but the look was enough for him to see that yes, Jason was still as naked as he was. Nico slowly drank the water, trying to collect his thoughts.

Last night they had been at a party at Percy’s apartment. Everyone had been there, and there had been alcohol. Percy and Annabeth had been making out, but Nico hadn’t actually been that jealous. He was having fun hanging out with Jason, and then…

“What happened last night?” Nico asked quietly. Jason was silent for a long while.

“You mean you don’t remember?” he said, his voice shaking just a little bit.

Nico shook his head, still not looking up. Jason took a deep breath and Nico waited for him to say something, but instead he heard him walk out of the bathroom. Nico made an attempt to follow, but the moment he tried to move his stomach protested again. He leaned back over the toilet bowl, but the only thing he had left to throw up was that one glass of water.

“Here,” he heard Jason said, and something warm settled over Nico’s shoulders. A blanket, he realized. He brought a bit tighter around him, feeling a bit less cold. Jason refilled the water mug, then sat down beside Nico on the bathroom floor. He was wearing a pair of grey pajama pants and a t-shirt, which made him a bit easier to look at, though Nico still had trouble meeting his eyes.

“Did we…?” Nico asked uncertainly.

“Yes,” Jason said, his voice sounding a little unsteady. “I’m sorry. You didn’t seem that drunk, and I wasn’t exactly sober. I should have realized…” he sounded like he choked up, and had to clear his throat. “I’m so sorry.”

“I don’t understand,” Nico said, taking a sip of water. His brain felt covered with a thick filter. “Why did you even _want_ to sleep with me? You must have been drunker than I was.”

“I had too many drinks,” Jason agreed. “But that wasn’t why. I didn’t need to be drunk to want you. I still don’t. But I should have realized you didn’t feel the same, even though you said you did. I’m sorry.”

Nico finally looked up at him, trying to work through that information with his aching head. “What did I say?” he asked slowly.

“You were drunk. It doesn’t really matter,” Jason said, looking away.

“Jason, what did I _say?_ ” Nico repeated, more demanding this time. Jason sighed, dragging a hand through his hair.

“You said you wanted me. You said I was the sexiest thing ever,” he muttered, “I should have realized how drunk you were just from that, but then you said…you said you loved me. I guess I wanted to believe it.”

Nico was quiet, trying to think it through. “My brain isn’t working,” he finally said. “Can we talk about this later?”

“Sure,” Jason said, sounding tired. “Do you want to go back to sleep?”

“I’m not going to move for a little while, I think,” Nico said, making a face towards the toilet.

“That bad, huh?” Jason said. “Should I leave?”

Nico hesitated. He felt terrible, and he couldn’t really look straight at Jason, but his presence was still a comfort, somehow.

“Stay,” he said quietly. “I mean, if you want to.”

Jason settled against the wall beside Nico, close enough that their legs touched. They didn’t say anything after that, apart from Jason muttering soothing words when Nico’s stomach acted up again a little while later. Despite what had apparently happened, Nico was glad he was there.

 

At some point Nico must have fallen asleep again, because when he woke up he was back in Jason’s bed, covered with blankets and alone. His mouth tasted like something had died in it, but he felt a lot better. His clothes lay in a pile at the foot of the bed, but Nico kept the blanket around him as he got up, then brought the clothes with him into the bathroom to take a shower. He figured Jason wouldn’t mind.

After showering and washing his teeth twice, thankful he had left a toothbrush at Jasons place after one of the many times he’d stayed over, he found Jason on the couch in the living room, lazily watching some soap opera. He looked up with a smile as Nico approached him.

“Hey, how are you feeling?” Jason asked, and Nico gave him a pale smile.

“Much better,” he said. “I should get going.”

Jason’s face fell, and he looked really hurt for a moment, before clearing his throat. “Are you sure you should shadow travel on an empty stomach?” he asked. “I could make something for you before you go.”

“You don’t have to. I’ll be fine,” Nico said, but the sad expression Jason was wearing made him feel guilty. “I guess just something little wouldn’t hurt.”

Jason looked strangely relived, then hurried to the kitchen. He made Nico a couple of sandwiches, which Nico quickly gulped down, realizing how hungry he really was. When he was finished, he got ready to leave.

“I’ll be gone for a day or two,” he said, and Jason nodded, looking really sad again. Nico’s heart clenched, though he tried to ignore it. “We’ll talk when I get back, okay?”

“Okay,” Jason said, clearly attempting to smile, but it well pretty flat. Nico hesitated for a moment, considering staying, but his head was starting to hurt again, so he quickly said goodbye and let the shadows swallow him up.

 

It took Nico three days to gather enough courage to go talk to Jason again. He shadow traveled straight to Jason’s living room, like he usually did, only to find Jason sitting on the couch with Piper’s arms around him. It had been almost a year since they broke up, so Nico was shocked to see them like that, and she looked surprise to see him too.

“Um, sorry,” he said with a lump in his throat. “I didn’t mean to interrupt. I’ll just go…”

“You stay right there!” Piper said sternly, and Nico froze. Despite being aware of the charmspeak in her voice he was unable to do anything about it.

“Now, here’s how this is going to work,” Piper said. “I’m going to leave, and when I’m gone you two are going to sit down and tell each other how you feel. Are we clear?”

Neither of them could do anything but nod. Piper nodded. “Good. I’ll talk to you later,” she said, then got up and walked out the door. Nico walked around the couch to sit down beside Jason.

“I’m confused,” Nico said, probably as a result of Piper’s demand.

“I’m glad to see you,” Jason said. “And a little scared.”

“I didn’t want to come,” Nico confessed. “But I also did.”

“Nico, I’m so sorry for what happened,” Jason said. “I didn’t mean to take advantage of you, I swear. I feel terrible about it.”

“You didn’t take advantage of me. We were drunk,” Nico pointed out. “I still don’t remember it, but when you told me it sounded like I started it. It’s my fault.”

“It’s not,” Jason said. “I should have know it was the alcohol talking. I just wanted so much for it to be true. I’m so sorry.”

“I don’t understand.”

“I’m in love with you,” Jason said with a pained expression. “I was so happy when you told me you loved me, and I didn’t realize…” his voice broke, but he had said enough. Nico started at him. If not for Piper’s order to talk he would have been speechless.

“I didn’t know,” Nico said. “I should have known, but I didn’t. I’m sorry. I’m confused.”

“I knew you didn’t feel the same, so I never told you,” Jason said, looking down at the floor. “Or I thought I knew. I’m so sorry.”

“But I do feel the same,” Nico blurted out. The words surprised him almost as much as they surprised Jason. “I mean…” he backtracked uncertainly. “I knew I love you, but I thought it was in a brotherly sort of way, you know? But I also knew you were really good looking, but I made sure never to look. But I must have, anyway. And I really wish I could remember what happened because you look so hurt and sad and it’s my fault and I hate it and…”

“Nico, slow down,” Jason said, holding up a hand. “What exactly are you saying?”

“I’m saying I like you. A lot,” Nico said, frustratingly running a hand through his hair. “But I didn’t think too much about it. I didn’t want to go through another thing like the one with Percy, I guess. And then that happened and I still don’t know what I was thinking at the time.”

Jason smiled slightly towards him. “I love you, and I still want you,” he said. “How does that make you feel?”

“Happy, and confused, and it’s a little bit hard to breathe,” Nico said honestly, then frowned. “And irritated that you’re using Piper’s powers like that. Why was she hugging you?”

“Because I told her what happened and that I didn’t know what to do. She was comforting me,” Jason said. “Were you jealous?”

“Yes,” Nico muttered. Jason grinned happily.

“If I asked you out, would you agree?”

“Yes,” Nico said. “Are you going to?”

“Will you out with me?” Jason asked, gently nudging him, and Nico rolled his eyes.

“Sure,” Nico said, and the smile that spread over Jason’s face made him feel tingly.

“You’re not drunk right now, right?” Jason said, leaning closer to him. “Can I kiss you?”

Nico figured Jason had had the upper hand of the conversation long enough, so he leaned in and pushed their mouths together instead of answering. Jason made a surprised sound, then returned the kiss with vigor. The kiss was giving Nico a distinct feeling of déjà vu. He knew this had happened before, and Jason’s hands starting to move under his shirt that felt familiar as well.

Eventually Nico pulled away, mostly for breath, but Jason didn’t let him go far. He pulled him back into his arms, holding on tightly and burying his face into Nico’s shoulder.

“Are you alright?” Nico asked, still a bit out of breath. He could feel Jason give a little nod.

“I’m fine,” Jason said against his skin. “I’m perfect.”

Nico chuckled, lazily dragging his hands through Jason’s soft blonde hair. “No, you’re not. I thought you said you were done trying to be.”

“Very funny,” Jason muttered. “You just…you don’t know how happy I am right now.”

“I think I can guess,” Nico smiled.

“But you still don’t remember anything?”

Nico shook his head. “No, just a feeling.”

“Do you want me to show you?” Jason asked, pulling back enough to look at him.

Nico blushed deeply, but nodded.

“Yes.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading!


End file.
